Every October, I look around the room at Zillow Unlock and think: These are the agents who aren’t going to spend Q4 hoping things turn around. They came to Las Vegas with questions—about where buyers and sellers are headed, how to use AI to level up their business, what the data actually says about this market—and left with insights ready to be put into action. This year, those questions matter more than ever. Here’s why October 12–15 should already be on your calendar.
Going from uncertainty to optimism
Zillow’s economists are calling this moment a fork in the road. Inventory has climbed for 32 straight months—that’s real progress—but rates crept up through Q2, and home values are projected to grow just 0.1% this year. The market isn’t broken but is stuck somewhere in between. And “in between” can feel really hard when you’re trying to build momentum.
But here’s the thing: When you look at Zillow’s Q1 2026 Agent Sentiment Survey, the story tells a slightly different picture. The share of agents expecting more near-term transactions jumped from 32% to 51% in a single quarter. 62% see volume growing over the next 12 months. According to our data, agents on the ground are feeling a window start to open. Possibility is on the horizon.
Leverage data to cut through the noise
While most agents see the national headlines, that big picture often doesn’t tell your clients’ story. Unlock attendees get an early, in-depth look at future-forward consumer insights, including a preview of Zillow’s annual Consumer Housing Trends Report before it’s published anywhere else. This way, agents walk away with first-party insight on actual buyer and seller’ behavior in a format that can be applied locally, as soon as you get home.
When Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert, presented highlights from the 2025 Consumer Housing Trends Report last year, agents learned about three emerging personas shaping the market: Gen Z “curveball buyers,” experienced “comeback buyers” and increasingly data-driven “strategic sellers.”
Translate technology into growth
Unlock also brings to life what’s possible with AI integration. Nearly half of agents now use AI tools at least daily, while about a quarter rarely or never do. In a flat market where volume isn’t carrying anyone, efficiency is a competitive advantage. Agents who’ve built AI into their workflow for follow-up, content and client communication are reclaiming time and putting it into higher-value work.
The tech sessions at Unlock are shaped to help agents understand how to make this connection possible—linking AI, CRM, automation, and Zillow tools into a workflow that increases productivity and conversion. The hands-on workshops are where this gets real. You leave with actual work done, versus notes to revisit later.
Why October matters
Here’s what I’ve seen year after year: The agents who act in October don’t spend the rest of the year hoping things turn around. They leave with data they can use immediately, strategies from peers who are also in the trenches, and AI workflows they’ve already started building. And because it’s October—not January, not “someday soon”—they have time to put it all into practice before the year closes. They head into Q4 with clarity, and into January with momentum.
Secure your ticket at https://www.unlockconference.com and use discount code RIS20 for 20% off.* Lock in your spot now before prices go up the closer we get to Unlock.
*Discount code can be used on all full priced standard passes leading up to the 2026 Unlock event and cannot be combined with any other discounts. Offer valid until October 11, 2026 or when tickets sell out, whichever comes first. Code must be applied at checkout—no retroactive adjustments will be made to previous or existing orders. No cash value.
